Meditation, anyone?

[tinrobot]

Who here meditates? Any stories about how meditation has changed you?

I try to meditate every morning and, for me, it is the core of my spiritual practice. It gives me a much deeper awareness of myself and others. It's funny how you can see so much more when you quiet the chatter in your head.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I try to meditate. I can't meditate for long, as I'm busy and I'm no expert meditator. However...

meditation helps me get a handle on stress. I've gone for long periods without meditation. However, during the weeks and months when I meditate, I'm less emotional, less nervous about things that might ordinarily make me nervous, more able to have perspective, and I have less anticipatory stress ("what will happen if..&quot

[freshwest]

2. Try to do more non-verbal prompts. Don't do well with guided ones.

I have to have quiet time by myself every day or things don't work well for me.

[Taverner]

3. Despite my ADHD, I can meditate

Really helps sometimes too

Other times, not so much

[KRansome83]

16. I can relate...

...as I meditate on a daily basis and quite often through the day. There's times I can really focus and get down to business and other times where the effort is futile.

[WheelWalker]

4. Zazen

[Dover]

5. Yes I have a pretty regular meditation practice and the experience varies.

Sometimes it's just an opportunity to quiet and center myself to open up the receptive feminine heart energy.
And other times I feel very much in direct and open communion with the Divine. I'm always longing for those
times of deepest connection. There are no words for that expeience, only a feeling...

,

[GliderGuider]

6. I've used a broad range of meditation techniques.

I usually use do a form of vipassana, incorporating various still-mind self-inquiry techniques. The main forms of inquiry I like are Ramana Maharshi's question "Who am I?" and the teachings of A.H. Almaas regarding Personal Essence. These have brought me into direct contact with something that looks suspiciously like my own soul.

Sometimes I just do deep relaxation. That can sometimes drop me straight into the Void, with the reminder that all is One and Nothing at the same non-time.

I've done some of Osho's active meditations. They always leave me with with a combination of exhaustion and endorphins that open the door to absolute stillness afterwards.

Two of my favourite experiences have been long-term sensory deprivation meditations, lying down in a quiet dark room wearing a blindfold and earplugs. One was for 28 hours, the other for three days. I really got to watch my mind at play. During the first, shorter one I uncovered my disowned spirituality and developed my personal sacred cosmology.

So, yeah, meditation has changed me a lot...

[Viva_Daddy]

7. For me, meditation is simply (but not easily) to keep bringing the attention back to

what I call "now/here". Every time one catches ones attention being diverted to thoughts, just keep bringing your attention back to what is now/here. Don't try to suppress thoughts, just become aware of the monkey mind and, in time, it will quiet down.

[onestepforward]

8. Likewise for me.

I try to meditate while performing daily stuff, like washing dishes. It helps me to stay in the present moment and slows my mind from spinning.

Another type of meditation that I enjoying doing is being outside with nature. I start by paying attention to my breathing, then shift my thought to my surroundings. I pay attention to sounds, sights and smells... without labeling or judging them. For example, when I hear a dog bark, I try not to think "dog," but simply listen to the sound itself.

Meditation can be a challenge at times and I know I need to do it more often, but it has helped me become calmer and balanced. My life is richer for it.

[grr8wine]

12. I do the same

meditate while doing dishes, painting my new town house, etc... Meditation is a practice, a prayer, no right or wrong way of doing it, but it is a challenge to quiet the mind. Deep breathing is a basic path I use to stop the chatter.

[GliderGuider]

9. I got this message tonight from a teacher I respect. I like his simplicity and straightforwardness.

You know that life has ups and downs. But, do you know how to escape the "downs"? Do you know how to find a bullet proof refuge where no problem can reach you? A glass of wine? Occasionally maybe, but as a way to cope it will eventually enslave you.

It is not difficult to escape the "downs" in a healthy, fast way. You simply take a deep breath and move the attention from mind to Consciousness, and just rest as Consciousness.

What will you find in there? Nothing special. In pure Consciousness there are no things; however, happiness and peace are natural, intrinsic qualities of Consciousness. Rest as Consciousness for even a few seconds and when you come out of it you feel different, you feel better -- the gloom is gone.

In his book "I am That" Nisargadatta says that "it is like a skill." And perhaps it is! And this is good because it means that we can learn the skill -- the skill of letting go of the thoughts and rest as Consciousness. But "let go of the thoughts" does not mean "quiet the thoughts." It is more like "forget" the thoughts, "ignore" the thoughts.

You forget the thoughts and transfer the attention to Consciousness. A deep breath helps -- and just one is enough!

Courtesy of Gian Paolo Girardi, http://www.brainoptimization.com/

[Melissa G]

10. Daily.

of the "Don't leave home without it and take it with you when you go" school.

Mostly Kundalini Yoga, but it depends what I am reading at the time. I've wandered a lot of places spiritually in my 50 plus years.

[mmkkpro]

11. meditation

My first introduction to meditation was back in early 90s,since then i have become more involved,i have been reading the nag hammadi the gnostic texts found in 1945,and i gotta say they are amazing,the wealth of ancient knowledge is incredible,as i have been reading them i see things much differently,they spoke of meditation also,but the meditation is good for every aspect of a persons life i plan to continue for i have a lot of learning to do,i find as i have aged things arnt as they were presented when i was young.

[sanatanadharma]

13. meditation is...

...an appointment with one's 'Self'

one enters the (so to speak) innermost sanctum having shed stored shelves of self's stuff

[sandyshoes17]

14. I find it to be essential

Like food and exercise. I meditated every morning for almost 3 yrs. I don't know if it had anything to do with it, but, my life changed. My past came to the present, and my present moved forward, it was great for a boring person. Ha. I started doing the treadmill every morning and between that and the past that hit me in the head, I found it hard to get back into that routine. I have found other ways, not as focused, but it seems to work. I try to incorporate meditation into my everyday functions. I think the ultimate is living meditation, to be aware and within at the same time. You have given me incentive to start it up again, I've been thinking about it alot. thanks.

[TM99]

15. I also find meditation to be an essential daily practice.

I was very fortunate to have a father who meditated. He was taught Transcendental Meditation in the 1960's by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He is 80 this year, and he still does it daily. When I was 9, I was taught TM. In college, during youthful explorations of religious paths, I discovered the Theravadic Buddhist Schools. I never became a Buddhist, however, I did receive much training in Satipatthana meditation including Vipassana, Anapanasati, and Samatha and traditional Japanese Zazen in my 20's and 30's.

I meditate at least twice a day (upon awakening and before retiring), and I have done so now for decades. It is as much a part of my daily life as eating breakfast or brushing my teeth. I never allow for excuses for why I can not meditate. Not when I was in the service (though I often had to shorten my sessions) or when I was on chemo (I often couldn't make it through a long session). I recommend it in some shape, form or fashion to all of my psychotherapy clients whether young or old. It does not have to be religious or spiritual yet it can be if one so desires. I honestly don't know of a single religion or philosophy in history that does not have a contemplative/meditative component as a valid part of its tradition.

[1handclapn]

18. i stopped drinking with meditation, 26 yr hard core alcoholic.

after my 4 week, I realized that I had not consumed alcohol not thought about it for 4 days.

at the end o 2 months I ran into a Tibetan monk in his robes that invited me to join his meditation group, 2 three hour, one 1+ lunch on Saturdays, hour a week. didn't miss all 3 a week for 6 years.

http://www.buddhanet.net/metta.htm
it is really important to start with Vapassina. just watching the breath and letting go of intruding thoughts. after about 6 month one can start some Shamata meditation, you really cant do Shamata first.

http://www.buddhanet.net/insight.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/metta.htm

the 3 rules of meditation
1] start where you are.. still drinking/ok still angry/it's ok don't think you can fix yourself first, it doesn't work that way.

2] start with the beginning, with Vapassina. you must have the skills it teaches ..FIRST.

3] IT TAKES TIME.. increments of months. keep a journal, with a teacher it takes about a year to grow the neurons and reconnect others that meditation stimulates. you will be physically restructuring your brain. you are training your brain to live in the present moment, that is what it is about.

[truebrit71]

19. I'd love to, but I can't ever get the inner monologue to shut the hell up..

...Any pointers for a novice?

[ellenrr]

20. yes! I practice jyoti meditation

http://www.sos.org/page/the-art-of-meditation.html

I dispense with the religious elements - I do not believe in god, but I find the practice extremely helpful.
I sleep better, more calm, my mood is better.

I also practice some meditations from Kundalini Yoga.

and I attend a class in Mindfulness Meditation-
I don't practice it, but I like the class bec. the teacher says things like -
"we want to have compassion and kindness toward ourselves."

and

"don't beat ourselves up if our thoughts stray"

and I find her ideas very helpful.

added:
If you like meditation stripped of all its mystical elements, this is "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction"
developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a Harvard researcher, who has scientifically documented improvements in health.

http://www.mindfullivingprograms.com/whatMBSR.php

[LWolf]

21. At one time,

I spent mornings and evenings meditating, often out in my garden.

I don't have a garden any more, and it can be really cold out there. I don't adhere to that routine any more, although I think I should.

I discovered at some point that I didn't have to sit still to meditate. That's the most difficult way to clear my mind. I do better clearing my mind with routine, mundane tasks that don't require attention or thinking, just some muscle memory. That's when my brain gets the quietest.

The best meditations I've ever done have been alone out in the hills on my horse. The horse walks us down the trail. My brain lets go.

[forest444]

22. I've been told I need to.

I'll have to meditate on that and let you know.

[david.byrne59]

23. I tend to become very self aware so it doesnt really work for me!

[Citrus]

24. "Very self-aware"?

Can you explain what you mean by "very self aware"?

[dylb2]

25. reply

Meditation was an absolute life changer for me. I'd recommend at least trying it out and see if it works for you.

[bravenak]

26. I meditate at night

[LWolf]

27. Meditation for all.

While for me it is a spiritual practice, it doesn't have to be, and can make the world a better place regardless of what faith a practitioner adheres to, or doesn't.

[triron]

28. I do but I'm a novice